Economic and environmental assessment of sustainable FAME production by using a bio-derived ligand Na-Ni-MOF catalyst

A bio-derived ligand Na-Ni-MOF-700 catalyst was synthesized for fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) production from soybean oil, and its industrial potential was comprehensively evaluated in terms of catalytic activity, reusability, life cycle cost (LCC), and environmental factor (E-factor). The catalyst was prepared by impregnating Na2CO3 onto a bio-derived ligand Ni-MOF carrier. Characterizations revealed that the Ni-MOF carrier provided a high surface area (400.38 m2/g), and formed a carbon matrix that encapsulated Ni/NiO particles after N2 calcination. This structure enabled magnetic separation and inhibited active sites leaching. Reaction conditions (15:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 3 wt% catalyst, 75 °C, 3 h) optimized via a Taguchi design achieved a 99.87 % FAME yield. The catalyst exhibited strong catalytic stability, maintaining a FAME yield >90 % after six reuse cycles. LCC analysis indicated a production cost of 0.85 USD/kg for soybean FAME, which is 20 % reduction compared to NaOH. An E-factor of 0.57 confirmed its environmental compatibility. These results demonstrate the potential of MOF-based catalysts in balancing high activity, reusability, and sustainability for green chemical processes.